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Blood and Blood Spatter
Blood and Blood Spatter
Blood and Blood Spatter
Chapter 8
OBJECTIVES
By the end of this chapter you will be able to
Explain the composition of blood
Describe the functions of blood cells
Describe a brief history of the use of blood and
blood-spatter analysis in forensics
Describe how to determine the blood type of a
sample of blood
INTRODUCTION
Blood typing may provide class evidence
White blood cells contain DNA (DNA profiling
used on blood left on the crime scene)
Blood-spatter evidence can also help recreate a
crime scene to validate the information provided
by a witness or suspect
Direction from which blood originated
Angle of impact
Point of origin
Blood History
Blood has been studied in one way or another
for thousands of years.
2500 B.C: Egyptians bloodletting- effort to cure
disease
500 B.C.: Greeks- distinguished between arteries
and veins
1901: Karl Landsteiner- discovered three blood
types( A, B, O)
1902: Alfred on Decastello- discovered blood type
AB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU9Rah_cP5E
Composition of Blood
Blood is a circulating tissue
consisting of three types of
cells:
Red blood cells
White blood cells
Platelets
(These are all suspended in a
liquid known as plasma)
Blood Cells
Red Blood Cells (erythrocytes)
Carry respiratory gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide)
Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein
Platelets (thrombocytes)
Aid in blood clotting and are involved in repairing
damaged blood vessels.
Platelets
Thrombocytes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRh_dAzXuoU
Blood
Blood Typing
Typing
Is less expensive and quicker than DNA
profiling
Did you know?
The adult human body contains 5.5
liters of blood. The heart pumps about
2,000 gallons of blood a day.
Blood Spatter
A grouping of bloodstains composes a
blood-spatter pattern
This pattern can help reconstruct the
series
Blood-Spatter Analysis
Given blood-spatter patterns
Direction the blood was traveling
Angle of impact
Point of origin of the blood
Answer
Gravity
Adhesion
Cohesion
Surface tension
Blood
Blood is cohesive (stick together)
Does not separate as it falls
Six Patterns
1. Blood falling directly to the floor at a 90degree angle
2. Arterial spurts
3. Splashes
4. Smears
5. Trails
6. Pools
Six Patterns
Blood falling directly to floor
Six Patterns
Arterial spurts (gushes)
Typically found on walls or ceilings
Caused by the pumping action of the heart
Six Patterns
Splashes
Shaped like explanation points
Six Patterns
Smears
Left by bleeding victim depositing blood as he/she
touches or brushes against the wall or furniture
Six Patterns
Trails of blood
The droplets are round or
smeared or even appear as
spurts
Six Patterns
Pools of blood
Around victim who is bleeding heavily and
remains in one place